The Kerberos Productions website and Paradox Interactive Forums have posts about issues surrounding the recent launch of Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter, the space-themed 4X strategy sequel (thanks Rock, Paper, Shotgun). There's a State of the Game post from Paradox Interactive CEO Fred Wester who talks of the game's issues on Steam, which helps explain a pair of patches over the weekend. There's also a post on the Kerberos Forums from Kerberos Productions CEO/Creative Director Martin Cirulis on what they plan to do about this going forward, starting off by saying: "Welcome to the perfect storm of cockup made up of 40% Murphy's Law, 30% Chaos, 20% Overambition and 10% wishful thinking. And you have our deepest regrets for what it is worth as none of this was part of the plan," and that: "This plan means that you folks can expect at least 2 or 3 updates a week over the next month or so that will gradually make this game into what it should have been when the switch was pulled on Friday." The post is quite lengthy, but comes with a convenient summary:

a) cockup
b) my fault
c) will be Completely fixed
d) fun stuff in many updates
e) Understanding of your position
f) Apology again and underserved request for faith and patience from people who don't know us.

This year for PC gamers has been one disaster after another. Next up: Skyrim.

Unfortunately he might be right. When you start with a mandatory deadline, 11-11-11, and you're rushing rushing rushing rushing to get it completed on time, mistakes inevitably happen. Even if the game was still a huge unfinished steaming pile of crap by 11-11-11, they committed themselves so fully to that release date that they'd release it anyways. I'm hopeful that Skyrim comes out without a hitch, as Arena is my favorite game of all time, but I remember all the issues Daggerfall had so I'm nervous.